The Walking Dixons
by Riddicks Raven
Summary: Since the day the world went to Hell, Daryl has been secretly looking for two people: his childhood friend and his niece. Set after they arrive at the prison, but before everything goes down with Woodbury.
1. Chapter 1

"Fucking great," Daryl muttered as it started to rain. He was relieved that it wasn't hard enough yet for him to raise his hood. Not a big fan of pneumonia, but he didn't want the hood to obscure his view; not only of the walkers but of the two people he was truly looking for.

When he had left the prison that morning, he had told Rick he was going on a run to look for deer and that he might be gone for two days. Daryl had taken the Land Rover so he could get farther into the woods before having to go on foot. He had packed a tarp in-case he did find deer on the way back. There was a meth cooker's cabin close to where he was standing that could be locked down tight and he hoped that's where they had holed up. He had been looking for them ever since this whole mess had started and after all these months Daryl had begun to give up hope on finding them alive.

A soft sound slightly to the right and ahead of him drew his attention. Nearly silent, if he hadn't spent a lifetime in the woods he wouldn't have noticed it. He watched as the arm of what could have belonged to a fourteen year old girl aim a crossbow pistol and fire, hitting a large rabbit. Still concealing himself, he watched as a girl and young woman reclaimed the bolt and rabbit. Relief flooded his system.

"You plan on sharing that cottontail?"

Dawn-Ray turned and aimed her Colt .45 at the man speaking to her. She didn't intend on sharing the rabbit and would kill this man if she had to. He was standing in the shadows and she wasn't about to take any chances with her daughter.

"You stick that thing at my face, you better pull the trigger," the man growled lowly.

She didn't recognize the man, but the voice was unmistakable. "Daryl?"

As the man closed the distance, she recognized the crossbow he carried and the way he moved. It was really Daryl, but he had changed. His hair was longer and he was fetchers were harder.

"Uncle Daryl!," the girl said with hushed enthusiasm as she hugged him.

"Hey Shorty, nice shot." He then turned his attention to her mama. "Holed up in the cook shack?"

Dawn-Ray nodded then added, "we need to hurry, bottom's about to fall out and it's gonna pour down for almost two days."

Daryl knelt down and made short work of the rabbit, tucking the heart, kidneys and liver inside before handing it to his niece who tucked it into her pouch as he buried the leftovers. "Let's move out; Darlene, you're between us."

A few minutes later, they were at their destination, and Dawn-Ray opened the crude lock, letting them inside. As Darlene poured water into a pan to wash her prize, Daryl replaced the three 2 bys across the door. A primative but effective lock. When he turned around Dawn-Ray was restarting a fire in the fireplace from embers as Darlene was expertly cutting up the rabbit. There were wild mushrooms and a large onion on the table waiting to be cut up and go into a cast iron skillet. He took a moment to really look at his family. Dawn-Ray had cut her long dark hair very short, she had also cut her daughter's brown hair equally as short. They had lost weight, and picked up a few scars along the way. Daryl realized that unless a person looked closely they would appear to be a young man and boy. Internally, he smiled at the choice.

"Want help, Shorty?" He asked with a slight grin.

Darlene smiled back before handing her uncle the knife. She hugged him tightly and whispered, "I missed you," before turning to get a small can of Crisco and a spoon. She placed a spoonful into the skillet and set it on the grate in the fireplace.

Dawn-Ray went over to Daryl and lightly sprinkled salt on the rabbit. "She's asked me at least once a month if I thought you were still alive. I'd tell her if anyone could make it, it would be you."

Daryl raked the mushrooms into a pile before looking at her and whispering, "Ask about Merle?"

"Daryl Dixon, you know you've always been more of a Dad to her than Merle." She leaned in and whispered into his ear, "Hell he wanted me to get rid of her when he found out. Asshole."

Any other time, any other person, he would have "red-necked up" on the sorry sonofabitch bad mouthing his brother; however Dawn-Ray had always been the one exception to the rule. Daryl had never approved of her being with Merle all those years ago, even if it had been for only two weeks. Maybe while they were hold up here, he could get some answers.

"Are you done? Skillet's hot."

Daryl looked down at his niece and smiled slightly, "All your's." He watched as the girl took the cutting board to the fireplace and scrape it into the skillet where it began to sizzle. From the day she had been born, Daryl's heart had swelled with pride. He had loved feeding baby bottles to a child he secretly wished had been his. He had told Merle to shut up more than once over teasing him about it. Just then a loud crack of lightening, followed by a ground shaking thunder filled the area as the rain started pouring down. Like a lot of the backwoods elder women Daryl had known, Dawn-Ray could tell what the weather was going to do, and it had kept him from getting caught out in some pretty bad storms over the years.

"Got some time before supper's ready. Why don't you get out of those wet clothes and clean up a bit? We got plenty of water, and a bar of lye soap." She was relieved to see her childhood friend alive and well, and since she had intended on cleaning up for her own dry clothes thought Daryl might want to as well.

"Where am I gonna keep dry clothes, my quiver?" His words had come out harsher than he'd meant, but that has always been a Dixon trait.

"There's some in the dresser." Dawn-Ray had known Daryl long enough not to notice the small outburst.

"Ain't wearing that tweaker's crusty assed shit! No telling what's crawling on it," he said waiving his arm off to his right.

"It's not crusty! I washed it myself, and you ARE going to wash up or you are NOT getting any of my rabbit, Uncle Daryl!" The last few months had been wearing hard on Darlene, and to hear the only other person in this hellish new world that she looked up to say he was not going to at least clean the blood from his hands was the last straw.

He stared at her dumbstruck for a second. The young, barely teenage girl standing there, anger in her blue eyes and hands knotted into fists, looked more like his brother in that one instant than she had her whole life. Daryl blinked a couple of times before spying an old quilt.

"I'll tell you what, you get me a pan of water, some of those clothes you washed, and your mama holds that quilt up behind me I'll take a bath. Okay?"

Seeing her shoulders sag with relief as she hurriedly set about getting something for him to wear, Daryl looked at Dawn-Ray and sighed. "Goddamn she's got Merle's temper."

"At times," she agreed, "thankfully that's the only thing she got from him."

It didn't take him long to wash up and get dressed, telling Darlene it was okay that there was no underwear for him. "I'm not gonna wear another man's draws, don't care how clean they are." He also added that she did a nice job of cleaning the clothes. He then returned the favor and held the quilt for Darlene and Dawn-Ray, swearing to Darlene that he wouldn't peek. However with the inviting smells from the skillet had his stomach roaring as loud as the thunder, Daryl did threaten to "drop the quilt and get some of that cotton tail if you two don't hurry up!" Dawn-Ray knew he was teasing, but also knew if he was as hungry as he looked, Daryl would do it in a heartbeat.

After they had eaten supper, Darlene yawned and said she wanted to go to sleep. She hugged and kissed her mama 'night then did the same to Daryl. Before he released her though, he thanked the girl for a perfect supper, which made her blush. After she lay down on some blankets on the floor and was asleep, her mama and uncle moved to sit on the floor in-front of the fireplace and talked.

Daryl explained about the group and the prison, and that he had been looking for them since the begining. That he needed them to come back with him. His shoulders felt as if the weight of the world had been removed when she agreed. He then looked into her eyes and said, "There's something I need to know."

"Knew there was something eating at you, what is it?" She looked into his deep blue eyes and waited.

"Why were you with Merle anyway? I don't get it." He bit back the words asking why it hadn't been him.

"It wasn't my idea," she said after a moment of collecting her thoughts. "You remember when Merle started slinging that new meth, Blue Fire?'

"Yeah, I remember," Daryl wasn't completely sure where she was going, but with Ray Madison being one of Merle's best customers, he didn't like the feeling in his gut.

"Pop just had to try some, but he didn't have the money Merle was asking... So the piece of shit traded me to him for those two weeks. For a dime bag." There was no more anger in her at her "father's" actions, it had become merely a fact of her life that she didn't speak about.

"Are you fuckin' shitin' me?" The only thing keeping his voice hushed was the sleeping girl a few feet away. "You were barely 16!"

"Yeah... At least Merle gave me enough pot to keep me relaxed, so it wouldn't be so hard on me." There was no justifying Merle excepting the trade, but Dawn-Ray had been grateful for the dope.

"I remember." Daryl vividly remembered those two weeks, remembered walking in on Merle with his jeans down over his ass, fucking her on the couch that he slept on sometimes. The slightly glazed look in her eyes, telling Daryl that she knew what was going on, but didn't care. Then Merle looking at him laughing, "Hey little brother, wanna ride when I'm done? She's still nice and tight." Anger began to run through him at the memory, until he felt a hand on his arm.

"It's okay, really. Darlene is the only good thing to come out of him, and the best thing to happen to me."

"Why'd you name her that anyway?" He had always wondered about her name.

"Well, Merle wasn't the Dixon brother I was interested in." A deep blush spread across her cheeks as Daryl's eyes widened slightly.

"Should'a said something."

"Didn't figure you would want one of your brother's left overs," she shrugged her shoulders.

He leaned in close to her face, "You were never anyone's left overs, and I still do."

Before she could lose her nerve, Dawn-Ray leaned in and kissed him gently, briefly.

The kiss was a welcome surprise for Daryl, and it left him wanting more, so much more. He licked his lips, then glanced at his sleeping niece.

"She knows it's safe here. A bomb wouldn't wake her tonight, but when we're on the road...poor kid hardly sleeps." Dawn-Ray stared at his profile, still handsome, still made her heart want to pound out of her chest. He turned back to face her and kissed her, like she had him, but longer. She hummed against his lips as she squeezed his crotch, which made him gasp and his eyes roll back slightly.

Quickly Daryl placed his hand over hers, holding it immobile. "I, never..." His voice failed him, suddenly shy at the admission he was attempting.

She placed her free hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes. "Never?"

He shook his head slightly, "I was either too wasted to get it up, or the girls Merle kept around were diseased skanks."

"It's been a very long time for me, we could learn together."

Dawn-Ray's voice was soothing to him, and it helped that she didn't make fun of the fact he was still a virgin. "Where do we start?" He'd seen it done, but wanted to do it right and not the crude rutting he had witnessed and heard.

"Like this," she whispered as she kissed him, this time opening his mouth slightly and gently sliding her tongue inside. As he relaxed, she started squeezing and stroking his crotch again. Once she felt his erection straining against his jeans, Dawn-Ray pulled back slightly, smiling. "We need to get out of these," she said as she unbuttoned his pants.

Their clothes were quickly shed and they stood there a moment looking at each other, Daryl's eyes glued to her breasts in disbelief that this was real. She took his right hand and placed it on one breast and smiled as he began to stoke it slowly, awkwardly. Slowly she traced her fingertips across his collar bones and whispered.

"I want this to be nice for you. Is there anything you want me to do to you? Anything at all?"

He stood there frozen for a moment, with his hand still on her breast, wondering if he should ask for something he had been dreaming of for so long.

"Would you...mmm... suck me off?" Daryl was half expecting her to say no, or to be repulsed by it, instead she leaned in and kissed him again.

She pulled back and smiled at the dreamy look in his eyes. "Help me put my bed down, and I will." Dawn-Ray put her hands behind his head, as his hands settled on her hips.

"Where is it?"

Daryl followed her gaze to a chair with a few worn blankets on it. He stepped out from her embrace and walked to the pile, giving her a nice view of his backside. She couldn't figure out why he never went shirtless, he was lean and toned. The two demons tattooed on his right shoulder, the scars criss-crossing his back?

"That bastard," she hissed. Growing up close to the Dixons, she had see the old man beat his boys more than once. It would appear that after Merle left, Daryl took the full brunt of his rages.

Daryl froze in his tracks. He had never wanted her to see the scars, and today had forgotten about them. His first impulse was to put his shirt back on and tell Dawn-Ray this had been a fucking stupid idea, but he'd had feelings for her since he was 12. Any chance of doing that, or thoughts about it were crushed when she encircled his body with her arms and held him tight. He breathed deep, placed a hand on top of hers and leaned into her accepting sanctuary.

"I didn't know it had gotten this bad," she whispered before kissing his shoulder.

"Nobody knew." He turned his face slightly towards her. "Not as bad as what you went thru." He turned in her embrace, looked into her eyes and placed his palms on the sides of her face, his fingers wrapping around to the back of her head. "We both made it, we're here and alive."

Since his late teens, Daryl had never been much for lengthy conversations; it was no surprise to him that again words failed him. He kissed her deeply, experimenting as he went. Keeping his left hand on the back of her neck, his right arm went around her shoulder and pulled Dawn-Ray tighter to him. He was rewarded with soft moans and her embrace tightening. Slowly he placed soft kisses along her jaw line.

"You're a fast learner, Daryl Dixon."

He looked at her and smiled. "Mmmm, only when I have to be, or if it's something I like."

"I hope this is something you like." She caught her bottom lip in her teeth.

"What do you think?" He smirked at her.

Dawn-Ray stood there watching as the light from the fireplace was reflected in his face. A sight she had always enjoyed growing up, and the memories of his laughter around countless bon-fires made her smile.

"I think we need to get my bed fixed, or we'll be standing here when Darlene wakes up."

"Gotta point," he agreed.

Quickly he had the blankets and they arranged them on the floor so there would be a little cushion and a couple to cover up with. As they were arranging them, she took a moment to admire the way the flames were playing off his back. The way it accentuated the muscle structure covered by the thin layers of skin.

"Anyone ever tell you, you have a cute ass?"

Daryl looked at her blankly, then shook his head. "Naw."

"You do. You're a handsome man, Daryl." She smiled as his cheeks and forehead turned crimson. "Lay down." He lay in the center of the pallet and she lay beside him, positioned so that she was looking into his face. Dawn-Ray could feel his entire being vibrating. "You nervous?" He nodded. "Me too. Daryl?"

"Hmmm."

"Breathe."

He was about to tell her he was breathing when her lips closed around his voice box, her tongue stroking it. He gasped for air and felt liquid seep from his cock. This was normal when he jacked off, but now he wondered if it was during real sex. With eyes wide open, staring at the cobwebs on the ceiling, he held Dawn-Ray tighter to him as her mouth and tongue left trails of liquid fire. Her hands roaming his torso, playing with his nipples. He looked down and saw her mouth close around his right nipple and exhaled noisily as his right hand ran through her short hair.

"Oh, that feels nice," he whispered then grunted as she set her teeth on it and drew up. Daryl nodded at her when she looked up at him, knowing that she was concerned that it might have been too rough.

He closed his eyes again, focusing on the sensations Dawn-Ray was releasing with-in him. When she suddenly stopped and held still, Daryl silently cursed himself for not paying attention to the sounds around them. The raging wind and rain, branches popping outside. Had she heard something he had been oblivious to.

"What's wrong? You hear somethin'?" He set up and was reaching for his knife, crossbow, anything he could use to protect them. Had she heard walkers at the door?

"Nothings wrong," she whispered, trying to get him to relax and lay back down. She felt bad for worrying him by looking at the tattoo over his heart.

"Then why'd ya stop?" Confused and his heart pounding, he had started wondering if getting laid was really worth it.

"I'm sorry, I...was just looking at this tattoo."

"What?" He'd had it for 15 years, and since no one ever saw it he wasn't expecting any kind of reaction from her.

"Whose Norman?" They had known each other almost their entire lives, knew the same people and she couldn't remember a Norman. Friend or family, and certainly not one deserving a place over his heart.

"Shit. That all?" He muttered as he lay back down, right hand under his head. He saw how bewildered she was and pulled her back down to him. "He was my little brother."

"Didn't know you had a little brother."

"I was two or three when mom got pregnant again. He didn't make it." There was no sadness in his voice, but like her a quite acceptance at certain parts of his past.

She kissed his lips tenderly, silently vowing never to mention Norman up again, unless he did first. Moving down a little lower, she softly kissed his tattoo, then ran her tongue around the nipple under it. Daryl moaned and Dawn-Ray knew she was back on track. Slowly she worked her way down his torso, tracing patterns on his skin with her tongue and smiling as she felt his muscles tremble. When she reached his navel, Dawn-Ray kissed it then dipped her tongue inside. She felt Daryl catch his breath and felt his body shift as he propped himself up on his elbows, watching her.

Smoothly she repositioned herself between his spread, bent legs and looked up at his eyes. They were wide and fixed on hers. She stroked the top of his right thigh, and felt his quad muscle tremble. When she kissed the inside of his thigh, Dawn-Ray heard his breathing become ragged. She knew he wouldn't last long this first time, but now wondered if he would last long enough for her to put her mouth on him. Merle had given her some bad experiences with this, filling her mouth with a load of bitter, very salty cum that left her wanting to gag at the taste. If Daryl did last long enough to do it, she decided that she would swallow all of it, no matter how bad the taste. She wouldn't hurt his feelings by spitting it out.

With one last kiss to his thigh she moved up further, to where he wanted her to be. Smiling she took in the sight he was giving her. Thick and vein covered with just enough loose skin on the shaft for her to know how much of a cheap skate his old man had been. Not wanting to spend the extra $500 when they were born, neither brother had been circumcised. Brushing her fingertips against the shaft brought a sharp inhale of air from her old friend, and made her smile. She looked down at his sack, then back to his face.

"Damn, Daryl. Always had some balls about you, now I know why." Her remark got a smirk, and a slight relaxation of his body; which is what she wanted.

Dawn-Ray encased his shaft with her hand, as she licked across one of his balls. His leg muscles jerked, he grunted and she actually heard him grind his teeth.

"Daryl," she looked into his wild, feral eyes, "you need to breathe and relax. It would have been bad enough before if you broke your teeth, but now..."

He nodded knowing she was right, before a broken tooth could mean an infection that he could get drugs for, at worse trading for it to be pulled. Now it could easily mean blood poisoning and death. Turning wasn't on his to do list anywhere in the near future. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to take a few deep breaths and try to relax. He heard Dawn-Ray's voice telling him to think of something soothing. The most soothing thing he could think of that didn't involve her was that hot shower he had taken at the CDC. Hot water soothing his tired muscles washing miles of filth and gore down the drain. Was so nice and relaxing. When he felt his tense body relax and he could take several deep breaths, Daryl opened his eyes again.

She wondered what he had thought of to become so relaxed so quickly. Definitely was going to ask him about that later. When he gave her that twisted little grin of his, she smiled back and placed her hand back around the shaft. Using her thumb she spread the pre-cum around the head as she heard Daryl mutter "yeah."

Just as she was ready to lick across the head, she looked into his eye once more. "I've very rusty at this, can't promise how good it will be."

"Like I'd know what a bad one would be like. You'll do alright." He ran his fingers through her hair, happy she was even willing to try.

Daryl thought he was going to loose his mind when he watched her lick across the head, a long slow lick. When she closed her lips around it, the heat from her mouth made him think she was going to burn him alive. He watched as Dawn-Ray took more of him into her mouth, slowly sliding downward, then back up. He felt her cough against him when she was about half way down him, but when she swallowed against him and took him the rest of the way in he gasped. His breathing ragged he desperately tried thinking of the pristine white tiled shower at the CDC. The hot water on his body, but when she cupped his sack, she joined him in the memory. Going down on her knees under the shower head, sucking him deep as she wrapped her arms around his body.

"Fuck," he muttered as his balls tightened up and his hips jerked a few times as he spilled everything into her mouth. "Shoulda warned ya," was the closest to an apology he was capable of giving her.

"So'k, there wasn't time." Actually she was surprised that he had lasted 4 full strokes with her mouth. When she cupped his balls she felt them tighten and draw up slightly, and knew he was about to loose it. Readying herself for the vile taste about to overwhelm her, Dawn-Ray was actually surprised that it wasn't that bad. Very salty, yes, but not bitter. It had more of a clean taste, one she didn't mind. She licked a drop off her bottom lip and watched as Daryl groaned at the sight. "You actually tasted good."

"I did?" Never in a million years did he expect to hear a woman say his dick or cum tasted good.

,

"Yeah." She lay on top of him, placing her hands under his shoulders, and kissed him deeply.

Daryl held her tight and groaned at kiss. There was a new taste to her, and he didn't want think about what it really was, but it felt so right to him. He rolled them over onto her back, then pulled back slightly.

"Know, what I'm going to do?" There was so much mischief in his eyes at that moment. "I'm going to lick and kiss you all over."

Rain fell harder and the wind howled around their little heaven.


	2. Chapter 2

I hope you all are liking my tale. I've tried to keep Daryl as Daryl as possible. I got the idea of his being a virgin from an interview Norman gave where he thought Daryl wouldn't have much if any experience with women. Let me know what you think. There is only one more chapter after this. Thank you all for reading this one.

 **xxxxxxxxx**

"Look, touch all you want. I'm your's Daryl." She was excieted at what he might do.

"Fuckin' right you are, and about damned time too."

When he left the prison that morning, this wasn't where he had expected to be. What he expected was what had always happened. Leaving for a day, two if things permitted it. Searching for them for half of that time, then hunting on the way back. Always returning empty handed with what had mattered most to him, but not this time. He wondered if Rick and the group would except them. If they didn't, Daryl wasn't going to leave them alone for the walkers any longer; he would leave with them.

Darlene had been the reason he had searched so hard for Sophia. In his minds eye the two girls were the same. If he could find Sophia alive, then there was a good chance that his family could be found as well. When she had staggered out of Hershel's barn that day, he had tackled Carol to keep her away. Looking into that dead child's eyes his heart ripped in two; not just for Carol, but for himself as well. Seeing Sophia like that made him realize that Dawn-Ray and Darlene may have met the same fate. When he could Daryl would keep looking for them. If he found them alive he would bring them back with him. If not he would put them down and walk away, and try to hold onto his sanity in an even more insane world.

"You okay? You spaced out on me for a second." She placed her palm on the side of his face and he closed his eyes and leaned into it.

"I found you," he whispered before kissing her.

Some of his kisses were awkward, even clumsy, but he was learning and improving with each one. Small kisses along her jaw bone, then down the side of her neck, followed by a long lick from her collar bones to her jaw line. This brought muted giggles from her.

"What's so funny?" Daryl didn't know whether to be mad or hurt.

"Tickles. I didn't mean to laugh, but it tickles." Dawn-Ray hoped she hadn't curbed his enthusiasm.

"Want me to stop?" He was starting to be more confused.

"Oh, nononono. It does much more than tickle. Sides your whiskers tickle too. I like being tickled." She took one of his hands and cupped a breast with it, making him squeeze it slightly. "Please don't stop, it felt good. I'll try not to giggle, but your whiskers do tickle."

He squeezed her breast with a kneading motion. "Hmm, my whiskers tickle. Let's see how much."

He squeezed her right breast firmly before covering the nipple with his mouth and sucking. Dawn-Ray hummed with pleasure and ran her hands through his hair. Setting his teeth at the base of her nipple Daryl ran his tongue around it, causing her to tighten her grip on his hair and arch up slightly. Flattening his tongue, he ran it across to the other breast, making sure his whiskers scraped the sensitive skin making her giggle again. Daryl smiled against her skin before kissing the underside of it while she ran her hands across the back of his neck and shoulders. Using the fingers of his left hand to toy with the one he just left, his free hand roamed down her body to grip her thigh; feeling the hair there.

"Sorry, haven't been able to shave in a long time,"

Looking up into her face he saw the embarrassment. He moved back up so he was looking into her eyes again.

"Don't care. You had more important things going on than to risk a wally world full of walkers for a pack of disposable razors." Silently he promised himself that when the chance presented itself he would make sure Dawn-Ray would get a pack of razors and a can of shaving cream. "Now, where was I?"

Slowly, he worked his way down her body, leaving a trail of fire and a flurry of stifled giggles in his wake. Daryl was being over whelmed by her clean scent and the subtle smell of the lye soap. When he was between her legs, he looked at the thick patch of hair there. He had seen plenty of naked women when he would stay with Merle. Legs spread wide open, their pussies wet and gooey from his brother and his cooking buddies fucking them; the women wanting Daryl to fuck them. And the smell...

Dawn-Ray smelled clean, almost reminding him of the woods after a cleansing rain. He leaned his head against her right thigh and opened her with her thumbs. He lay there looking at the glistening dark pink flesh, the blood engorged nub of her clit. Taking his index finger, Daryl ran it down the inside of the fold, enticing a soft moan from her.

"You're wet," he said.

"Just means you're doing it right." she took a breath and hummed in pleasure.

She could feel his breath on her as he ran his finger up her and brush against the top of her clit. Her body's response was instant. Dawn-Ray gasped sharply as her body arched up and she ran her fingers through Daryl's hair.

"Like that, huh?" His dark blue eyes locked onto hers.

"Um hum," she nodded with her response as she propped herself up on her elbows.

Smiling, he continued circling her clit, applying pressure here and there, loving the sounds she was making.

Dawn-Ray dropped her head back with a hushed moan as he stimulated her body. A fire started in her belly and she wished he would put his fingers inside her. She bit back the words telling him to do so, wanting Daryl to explore to his heart's content; but if he didn't soon, she would.

He watched in wonder as her body responded to what he was doing. Hips thrusting slightly against his finger, the slight trickle of wetness coming from her, making him guess this was like when his cock leaked earlier. Slowly he moved his index finger straight down her clit and slid it inside her. He thought her heard Dawn-Ray whisper, "Thank you God" when he did. Her body was hot and tight, seeming to grip him as her body thrust in sync to what he was doing.

Remembering the porn vids Merle would have playing, Daryl added a second finger and pushed his thumb against her clit. As he gently thrust in and out, the muted sounds of pleasure made him grin slightly. He looked up to see her watching him, her eyes wide, drawing air through a slightly opened mouth. The sight made him wonder if that's what Dawn-Ray had seen in him.

A few more thrusts left Dawn-Ray wanting more. "Please lick me."

Daryl had never heard her sounding so needy, and it raised a certain amount of pride that had put her in such a state. The request left him nervous, but Dawn-Ray had done him and it had felt amazing. He reasoned that it should feel the same to a woman, even though he had never considered it before. One last rub against her clit and he pulled his fingers out and looked at them. They were shinny, wet and slick. He placed them in his mouth and sucked on them briefly, pondering the taste.

"Not bad," he whispered before placing his tongue on her clit causing a muffled squeak to come from her. The sound made him grin slightly. "Huum, maybe you should lay back down."

"Maybe," she agreed.

It had been almost 15 years since Dawn-Ray had a man touch her, and even with his inexperience she didn't remember sex feeling this nice. Maybe it was his enthusiasm, or his gentle touch...or just simply the fact that it was Daryl, someone she had had feelings for since she knew what boys were. Almost as soon as she lay down she felt Daryl close his mouth around her clit and suck. His whiskers brought a wonderful pain tinged pleasure, causing her to gasp and wrap her legs around his body.

At feeling her legs go around him, Daryl ran his hands under her thighs and placed his hands on the tops of he hips. He hummed against her body and flicked his tongue against her clit, amazed at how her body jerked when he did so. It made him wonder what else would make her jerk and twitch. He took one last, long suck before running his tongue up the inside of her lips before putting it inside her. Daryl felt her grip his body tighter with her legs and push herself against him. When Dawn-Ray reached for his hands, he took them in his.

Extending his tongue as far as it could go, he licked the inside of her, relishing the way she moved and tasted. It left him wondering if the way he moved his mouth was the cause behind her tightening her grip and her muscles trembling. Rapidly Daryl moved his tongue back up to her clit and latched on again, grazing it with his teeth. Suddenly he noticed that Dawn-Ray fell silent. Raising his eyes to look at her, he noticed her head was turned; she appeared to have her eyes closed and biting her bottom lip. He couldn't imagine why, but she wasn't trying to stop him, or ask for something different, so he thought he might still be doing it right.

Vigorously, he sucked her as Dawn-Ray whined and her entire body tightened up. Once her felt her relax, Daryl licked her slowly which made her squirm and ask him to stop.

"Why?" He was enjoying himself and thought she had been as well.

"I got off", she smiled, "and I need a minute to get over it. Come 'ere."

"That's what that was." He crawled up her slowly, biting and nipping here and there as he went.

Dawn-Ray watched as he moved up her, playfully nipping; her wetness dripping from his chin. The look in his eyes was the same as when he would be stalking a deer. So intense she almost expected to see him put a finger to his lips. This time she was the deer he had in his sights.

Once he was looking into her eyes, Daryl buried his hands in her short hair and kissed her, hard enough their teeth scraped together. Hard enough Dawn-Ray felt like she was being consumed, claimed, marked. The aggression of it caught her off guard, but she didn't fight it; in fact she welcomed it. His weight pressing down on her somehow made her feel safe for the first time since this whole mess began. She felt him grab her hip as he pushed his pelvis against her.

"Rested enough?" Daryl didn't know how long it would take her to be ready, but he knew he was.

Dawn-Ray smiled, nodded and spread her legs a little wider. He shifted his weight slightly and tried to enter her, but missed and missed the next time as well causing her to grunt painfully.

"You're too far up, scoot down just a little." When he had, she slid a hand between their bodies. "Let me help you." She placed a hand on Daryl's shaft and helped guide him into place. "Now push in, don't stop, just push."

When he was buried, Daryl rested his forehead on her shoulder and wished they were somewhere besides on the floor of a meth cooker's cabin. Taking a deep breath, he looked into her eyes once more.

"Tell me I'm not dreamin', that this is real."

"You're not dreaming, Daryl." She saw that he was relieved at her words and wondered how many times had he dreamed of doing this with her over the years.

Dawn-Ray wrapped her thighs around his hips and hooked her feet under his ass, crossing her ankles. Squeezing her thighs, she began to urge him to move, slow and steady; something comfortable and easy for them both. After a few strokes, he didn't need any direction. Their bodies moving together, easy and natural, she kissed him. Arms around his back holding him tight, it didn't take long for his mouth to find it's way to the side of her neck. Daryl found a particularly sensitive area that made her gasp and scratch down his back. His muted humming against her intensified the sensations.

"Harder, please harder," she whispered into his ear.

Cautiously he tried adding more force to his strokes, not wanting to hurt her. "Like that?" He asked, watching as she gasped with each thrust. She nodded, and griped his forearms tight. Daryl could feel he was close, but wanted it to last as long as possible, but doubted he would. Just then, Dawn-Ray's head arched back slightly, and she gasped for air like she couldn't breath. Her grip on his arms tightened to the bruising point and it felt to him like every muscle in her body contracted. He was concerned that something was wrong, that she was dying in his arms. Before he could say anything, however, her body's actions pulled him down the hole with her. In that one split second, his body lost it's rhythm, and Daryl lost his mind.

Daryl Dixon was dying and being re-born. Destroyed and re-created. Consumed by an internal fire and chilled. He had never experienced anything close to these feelings in his life. Laying his head again on her shoulder, he waited for his world to return to normal. His concern for her returned as he felt her legs limply fall away from his body. Looking at her face, he was shocked to be staring into her green eyes, and she was smiling at him.

"I thought you died," he whispered.

"No... just feeling really, really good. Thank you." She smiled up at him, then kissed him tenderly.

Daryl smiled back and moved off her to get a blanket to cover with. He pulled her to him, covered them and relished the feel of her head on his chest. She moved so that they were nose to nose.

"Maybe next time, I'll ride you." Dawn-Ray smiled broadly at him.

"Maybe. Or maybe next time I'll put you on your hands and kneed and dog fuck you." He saw her eyes go wide.

"Promise!" Her voice was filled with hushed excitement.

"Hell yes." This hunting trip had proved to be the best in his life. Suddenly all the color drained from his face. "What if I knock you up?" This was something that he had never considered.

"Then that is something we'll deal with when it happens." She smiled and rubbed her nose against his. "As I recall, you make an excellent Daddy."

They talked for a bit longer before the driving rain and thunder sang them to sleep

Daryl awoke the next morning alone. He looked over and saw Dawn-Ray sitting in front of the fire with her head slightly down. This puzzled him slightly, as they had awoken during the night and explored each other again before getting re-dressed. He went over and set beside her.

"Having regrets?" He asked, his stomach knotting up with dread.

"About what?" She raised her head enough to look into the fire.

"What we did last night."

She turned her head to him and saw that he was chewing on the cuticle of his right thumb. A coping mechanism he had developed as a child, but one she hadn't seen him do in several years. Dawn-Ray pulled his thumb away with her right hand, and turned his face with her left.

"Daryl, the only regret I have is that I had to be so quiet. I wanted to scream and yell so loud that anyone within a hundred yards of this place would know you were in here."

Her statement caught him off guard, not quite understanding why she would want to scream his name so loudly.

"Then why do you look like you lost your puppy?"

"Because...I... What if your friends don't want us there? What if we're so close to having a home again, and they turn us away?"

He could see she was near tears, and it hurt him.

"I swear this, if they won't let you stay, then I won't either. I ain't lettin' either of you stay out here alone one more day."

He held her tight for a few moments before feeling her mouth on his neck, and wondered if they would have time for one more round before his niece woke up.

"Oh my god! You guys did it, didn't you?"

They both froze at the words. Daryl cleared his throat.

"Did what, Shorty?"

"Had sex?" Darlene had just woke up and set up to see her mama and uncle holding each other and kissing.

"How would you feel about it if we had?" Dawn-Ray turned to face her daughter.

"About damn time." She had to laugh at the "adults" expressions. "Oh come on! Mama everytime we are around Uncle Daryl, if you thought no one was looking, you look at him like he's the last man on Earth." The young girl's words made Dawn-Ray blush and Daryl laugh. "Uncle Daryl, don't laugh too hard, you're no better! Staring at her through bon-fires like you could eat her alive... Until someone would say somthin' to you."

Dawn-Ray and Daryl both looked at each other in disbelief, and wondered if anyone else had noticed. They both knew that Merle had never noticed, or he would have been poking fun at Daryl, and calling Dawn-Ray his left-overs. Statements that would have caused the brothers to get into a vicious fight.

The rain was still coming down, but not in the down pour that it had been all night. The wind and lightning had let up as well. Darlene stood up and stretched before going over and sitting with her mama and uncle.

"You are staying with us, ain't you Uncle Daryl?" She looked up hopefully at him. Other than her mama, Daryl had always been her favorite relation, and now it would seen he was going to be her dad too.

"Naw, Shorty. You two are coming with me. With a good group of people, in a secure place." He didn't expect the traces of fear he saw in the girl's eyes.

"We've see things, Daryl. Bad things. Things there was no chance of us stopping, we could only run past and hope they wouldn't hear us." Dawn-Ray sighed and hung her head at the memories. "The dead ain't the worst things out there."

He nodded in understanding, knowing how true her words were, and sickened by what they had witnessed.

"Rain's lettin' up, when do we leave?" As bad as the thought of other people made Dawn-Ray nervous, they would be with Daryl and she trusted what he said would be true.

"How soon can you get ready? I got a Land Rover not far from here... If there's not a tree on it."

"Two minutes tops. Darlene, get your pack and put those clean clothes in it. I'll grab these can goods, and we can split."

"Why you taking that shit?" Daryl watched as they moved quickly around the cabin.

"Because, not showing up empty handed can go a long way in earning our place with your group... If not, then we'll need it on the road." She was shoving the few cans that had been in the cabin into her back pack.

"Yeah, Uncle Daryl... She made me eat grubs before when we didn't have anything."

"Grubs, huh? Well I was out looking for this little girl last summer that had gotten separated from us, and I had to eat a raw squirrel." He was helping her shove clothes into the pack.

"Eeeeeeww gross!"

"Did you find her?" Dawn-Ray asked as she was strapping on her pistol.

"Yeah, we did." The look in his eyes was asking her not to go any farther with it.

"Baby, get your pistol. Daryl," she handed him his crossbow before putting on her pack.

"Thanks. Where's yours?"

"I...uh, don't have it anymore?" Her heart sank at having lost one of the most cherished possessions. "There was several on us. I ran out of bolts. Musta cracked the stock when we ran from home, 'cos the first dead head I hit, it broke. Used it for as long as I could before ditching it. 'Bout broke my heart to do it." She knew Daryl would ask about the crossbow he had given her sooner or later.

He understood about loosing a favorite weapon. "You do what you have too. Ready?" When they nodded, he and Dawn-Ray opened the door. Keeping Darlene between them, they walked out into the rain.

Their luck seemed to be holding, until they got with-in sight of the Land Rover. Daryl caught sight of three walkers and motioned for the girls to run on ahead. He was two steps behind them. Thankfully there wasn't a tree or limbs across the vehicle. Dawn-Ray slid into the passenger front seat, while her daughter went in back.

"Lock your door!" She yelled as she opened the driver's door for Daryl, and took the crossbow from him. It only took him a split second to start it and get them out onto the road.

They drove for 20 minutes in near silence, watching for damage left by the storm. They stopped within sight of the prison, and Daryl sighed.

"There it is, home sweet home." He looked in the rear view mirror at his niece's wide eyed stare, then turned to see Dawn-Ray staring as well.

"Uncle Daryl?"

"Yeah?"

"You have to be the first Dixon happy to go to prison!"

"Guess you're right 'bout that." He looked at Dawn-Ray before giving her a kiss. "Ready for this?"

"I donno, but let's do it."

He dropped it in drive and proceeded to the main gate.

 **xxxxxxxxx**

At the sound of the motor, Glenn stepped out onto the catwalk of the guard tower. "Daryl's back," he said over his shoulder. Maggie went down to the gate and grant him entry to the prison. The rain had slowed down to a light drizzle, and Daryl parked near their entrance. Glenn watched as not only their friend got out, but a thin man and a young boy as well.

Maggie stood watching after she closed the gate. "Daryl's not known for bring in strays. I'd like to hear the story on these two."

Dawn-Ray and Darlene followed Daryl down the corridor, into a large room, flanked on one side by cells. She momentary fisted the material on the back of his jacket as her daughter gripped her hand tight. He had known that this was going to be one of the hardest things they had to do so far, but he had faith in them.

"Daryl! You're back! Did you get a deer?" A young boy about 13 or so came up to them. He stopped and stared at the two strangers. "Who are they?"

"No deer this time, Carl. I need to talk to your Dad and Hershel about my friends here." Daryl's tone was unemotional and didn't leave any room for questions.

"They're in the office, c'mon." Carl turned and started walking away while Daryl turned and whispered something to Dawn-Ray. He then followed the boy down the corridor.

Dawn-Ray stood in the room looking at the two, well three if you counted the baby, people they had been left alone with. She felt her daughter grip her hand nearly painfully tight, terrified. The one with the baby was a blond girl, maybe 18. The other woman was older with close cropped graying hair.

"Daryl usually doesn't bring home strays. I'm Carol." She extended her hand to the strange woman who looked like she didn't know how to react. Slowly she excepted the gesture and shook Carol's hand.

"I'm Dawn-Ray." She bit her bottom lip nervously, "I guess we are strays. Never thought of us that way before."

Carol could tell the two were exhausted and their nerves about shot. "Please sit down."

 **xxxxxxxx**

Daryl walked into the room where Rick and Hershel were looking at maps on a desk.

"Have any luck son?" Hershel asked, rocking on his crutches slightly.

"Not with the deer, no." Suddenly Daryl wasn't sure if this was going to be a good idea. He catches sight of Carl stepping out of the room and stand outside the door.

"What did you find?" Rick looked up and saw his friend looking nervous.

"I brought back two people with me. A woman and girl. They want to join us."

"Daryl, I don't know." Rick sighed. "Our supplies are running thin, and if these storms don't let up soon, we are going to be hurting." Rick looked up at him, puzzled as to why Daryl would bring back more mouths to feed.

That was his breaking point. "I'm not leaving Dawn-Ray and my kid to those fuckin' walkers!"

Rick's jaw momently fell open, and Hershel spoke.

"Is that girl, your child?"

"I'm more of a Dad then Merle ever thought about! I ain't leaving 'em again!" Daryl's face was red and he was ready to storm out and take his family with him.

"Now Daryl, we're not saying that, yet. Will she talk to me?" Rick stood up as he spoke.

"I donno man. I'm the first person she's been around since all this has started. She's seen things, don't trust anybody." Daryl relaxed slightly.

"Alone all this time, with a child." Hershel's voice sounded sad that Daryl's family had been alone.

"Since you know her, are you willing to speak for her?" Rick placed both palms on the desk, hoping Daryl would give the right answers.

"Yeah," Daryl nodded slightly.

"How many walkers has she killed?"

"Enough to destroy the crossbow I gave her."

"How many humans has she killed?"

"Donno. But I do know she was ready to kill me yesterday before she realized who I was."

"Why?"

"To keep her daughter alive."

Rick and Hershel exchanged a look.

 **xxxxxxx**

"Mama, can I sit down please?" Darlene looked like she was going to fall down. Dawn-Ray realized how thin her daughter really was.

"Yeah, don't get too comfortable though, donno if we are staying or not." Seeing her daughter's reaction to her words nearly broke her heart. "It's not Daryl's decision baby."

"Merle ever thought about! I ain't leaving them again!" Angry words traveled down to where the women were at.

"Oh Daryl..." Dawn-Ray said quietly, suddenly light headed.

"You really need to sit down," Carol guided her to the bench seat.

"I'll get her some water," the blond girl with the baby said before leaving.

"Have you two been out there long?" Carol wasn't sure about Dawn-Ray and her daughter at first, but now, she wanted to give them a chance. A small one, but she was willing.

"Since the beginning." She took the offered water bottle, opened the top, sniffed it then handed it to Darlene first. "Drink baby, it's ok."

"I'm Beth." The young blond girl smiled brightly and extended her hand, which Dawn-Ray excepted easier."

"Is that 'Lil Ass Kicker? Daryl told me." As bad as she hated to admit it, the Beth's smile and innocence made her relax slightly.

"Yeah, The rest of us call her Judith. Have you known Daryl long?" She patted the baby on the back getting a huge burp.

With a slight grin, Dawn-Ray thought back to one of her earliest memories. Her and Daryl barely out of dippers, sitting in his dad's yard playing in the dirt.

"I've known him so long, don't remember not knowing him." She took the half empty bottle from her daughter and drank deeply.

Before anyone could further comment the men,led by Daryl, walked back out. He walked over behind Dawn-Ray and placed his hand on her back.

" 'Mon, let's go," he said softly.

She stood slowly. "We're leaving?"

"Naw." There was just a trace of a grin on his lips.

Darlene stood and walked to him. "Uncle Daryl, you mean we have a home again... and friends?"

"Yeah, Shorty. You're home."

He wasn't prepared for the frail child to wrap her arms around him and sob uncontrollably. He in turn wrapped his arms around his niece. The rest of the group stood in stunned silence.

"You made the right call, Rick," Hershel said quietly, placing his hand on the younger man's shoulders.

Dawn-Ray took off her pack and set it on the table. "Canned goods. We didn't want to show up hat in hand...just in case."

Carol smiled and took the pack, all too well understanding Dawn-Ray's exhaustion and relief.

Dawn-Ray walked over to Daryl and placed an arm around his waist, and he put his arm around her shoulder. Partly because it felt right, partly to keep her from staggering.

"My cell's down here. Need to get you guys dried off," he whispered as he led them away.

Once there Darlene set pack on her uncle's bunk and began looking for her clothes. Daryl turned to her mama.

"Wanna shower? S'not hot, but it's something," he said softly.

Dawn-Ray nodded and he led her to the shower room. Once they were undressed, Daryl turned on the water and the shower head sputtered to life. She faced him and placed her hands on his shoulders while he placed his hands on her hips.

"Are we really home and safe?" This time she was the one that thought it was a dream.

"Yeah. You're home, and as safe as you can be in Hell. Won't be easy, but not as bad as what you've already lived through." Daryl her close as she cried tears of relief. When she was finished, he wiped his thumbs under her eyes and kissed her.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is the last chapter, and it was so much fun to write. I have a couple of one shots with these two in the works; days that wasn't in this one. This chapter is mostly from Darlene's POV. I hope you all have enjoyed my little tale. ******WARNING Major player deaths********* **Daryl's memories are in bold italics.**

 **14 years later**

Darlene set in front of a low fire burning in the fireplace of a cabin so similar to the one that Daryl had found them in. She thought that maybe that's why it had been built like it had, becoming something the group used for a hunting cabin. The walkers had largely died out. Not many remained these days, the weather and natural decay having taken control of things. The survivors always made sure when someone died, they were put down. She felt sorry for the children of this new world, never having known what it was like before. Children like her brother, DJ. She sharpened her Dad's knife, as she remembered the events leading up to her brother's birth.

xxxxxxxxx

The Governor had come and destroyed their prison home several months after Daryl had found them. Everyone had scattered, with Daryl making sure that the three of them stayed together. For over a month they ran and hid, eating snakes and whatever else could be scrounged. The worst nights came when a herd would come over them, forcing the trio to hide in car trunks; Daryl on edge waiting for one of the dead to pop the ties holding the trunk closed...her mama waiting for the feared moment when she would have to kill her own daughter to save her.

Slowly the fractured group re-joined, everyone relieved to see the others. After walking for what seemed like years, but in fact was only a couple of weeks, they found a small gated community that was over run with walkers. The thick brick walls were sound and intact, so they began to slowly take the town for their own. For the first week or two everyone slept in the same house, in the living room. Darlene vividly remembered Daryl sleeping with his back against the wall with her mama on one side, head resting against his thigh and she on the other. She knew it couldn't have been comfortable for him, but he did it anyway.

Soon different members of the group began to pick out homes, staying close to each other though. Daryl picked out one of the smallest houses. One story with three bedrooms. There was a painting on the wall that he said he was going to use for target practice, but Dawn-Ray asked him not to.

"Why? Looks like a dog set in paint then wiped his ass every where." He waved his arm in the direction of the paint swipes.

"Because I like it." She stood there, looking at it with her arms crossed thoughtfully.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that."

"Not saying I understand it, Daryl. I like the colors." Dawn-Ray walked over to him and put her arms around his waist, and he nodded slightly.

"I'll give you that one." He turned and looked down at her. "First time I hear you say you're tired of it, or don't like it, I'm puttin' a bolt through it."

"Fair enough." She put her hands on the sides of his face and pulled him closer for a kiss.

Daryl wrapped his arms around her and allowed himself to be momentarily lost with her. Darlene stared dumbstruck for a second, as this was the first time in nearly two months there had been any non-essential contact between her mama and uncle.

It was in this house that Dawn-Ray became pregnant again. During this time, Daryl would take Darlene and Carl out hunting. Teaching them how to track, how to move like you are part of the woods. Teaching them about herbs and the plants there, about how to use wild leeks to keep the mosquitoes and biting flies off them. Dawn-Ray taught the others how to make soap from the fat of the wild hogs, and how to make lye from wood ashes. Her, Carol and Beth also spent time making the third bedroom into a nursery.

One spring day after her sixteenth birthday, Daryl came running out of their bedroom and told Darlene to run get Maggie and Carol. She ran out the door and caught sight of Carol hanging her wash up.

"CAROL! Uncle Daryl said you and Maggie gotta come quick!" She ran into her friend's back yard wild eyed and heart pounding.

"Maggie and Glenn's on a run. What happened?" Carol knew it was bad with the young girl looking this despite.

""Baby's coming now!" Darlene turned and ran back home.

Carol threw down her shirt and ran through the house, grabbing a large first aid kit as she ran. As she entered the house, she heard the screams and had a flashback to the day when Judith had been born. Saying a silent prayer that it wouldn't be the same, she entered the bedroom to see Dawn-Ray leaned against the headboard with Daryl between her legs.

"Daryl, I need you to move."

"I can't, I got a baby in my hands!"

Carol knelt beside him and saw that he was holding the baby's head in his hand with one shoulder peaking out. "Next contraction, I want you to push as hard as you can." Turning her head slightly she spoke to Daryl, "when that second shoulder starts to pop out, be ready it'll be fast and slick. Darlene get me the biggest clean towel you got and the suction bulb from the med kit."

No sooner than Darlene returned with the towel Dawn-Ray took a deep breath and pushed hard, screaming as the second shoulder popped free. Fast and slick, the child slipped into Daryl's hands and forearm.

"Let me have him."

Carefully, Daryl handed his son to Carol, who held him firmly in the towel as she wiped his face. Taking the suction bulb, she cleaned his nose and mouth before turning him over and tilting him head down. She gave him firm, but gentle pats on the back before smacking the tiny bottom. The loud screams let anyone in earshot know there was a new life in this world.

Daryl looked at Dawn-Ray and smiled. "We gotta boy." She looked back at him with bloodshot eyes and smiled.

"Honey, get me a scalpel and the sutures from the kit." Carol locked eyes with the amazed teenager.

"What's wrong?" Everything had seemingly gone well, now Daryl was begining to worry.

"Do you want to cut the cord on your son?" Carol handed him the scalpel.

"Yeah," he nodded slightly. "Where?"

She took the suture thread and tied it tightly on the cord. "Here just above where it's tied."

He cut the cord severing the physical bond between mother and child. A moment later, Dawn-Ray pushed hard, and a large gelatinous looking organ slipped from her body.

"The fuck is that!?" Daryl yelled not sure what was happening.

"It's just the afterbirth, she'll be fine." Carol smiled at him, "Now take your son. You and Darlene go clean him up, while I help mama clean up." Before they left the room she had one more question. "Have you two decided on a name?"

Daryl stopped and shook his head slightly, "Naw..."

"Daryl. His name...is Daryl." Dawn-Ray gave her husband a tired smile and could see how much it touched him that she wanted to name their son after him.

Two weeks later, Darlene was helping him process a long bodied doe. They had her skinned and now Daryl was up past his elbow trying to find where the back strap tied into the hip. With a grunt, he pulled the long strap of tender meat free, and began reaching down behind the shoulder for the other end.

"Uncle Daryl, can I ask you a question?" She took the back strap from him and laid it on the table.

"What's on your mind, Shorty?" It seemed incredible to him that with this last growth spurt, his niece was now almost as tall as he was. Even if she reached his brother's height, she would always be Shorty.

"Can I call you Dad?" She stood there chewing her bottom lip, as he removed his hand from the back of the doe and turned to face her. She could tell the question had caught him off guard, his facial expression went shy.

"I've never told anyone this, not even your mama, but she knows," Daryl took her bloody hand in his and put it over his heart. "Since the day you were born, you were mine. No matter what anyone said." He released her hand and grinned slightly before reaching for the second back strap. "'Sides we don't want DJ growing up calling me Uncle Daryl, do we?" This time when he looked at her it was with a full grin.

"Naw, we don't." She gave him a broad grin of her own, and they continued to work on the deer.

Things went well for them for the next eight years. The walkers had started becoming fewer in number and the large herds became a rarity. Darlene had started seeing Carl, and had moved into the house next to the one she had matured in. A couple of families and a few "sole survivor" kids had joined their ranks. At least once a month they would have a bon-fire, and it would be during these time Daryl would kick back and drink some homemade wine. Sometimes he would take Dawn-Ray off away from the others. Thirty minutes or so later they would come back very mellow and Dawn-Ray would ocasionally have small bite marks, or hickies on her collar bones. Darlene was glad there was still passion in her parent's lives, and knew when they would send DJ to spend the night, they wanted to be alone, and very noisy.

During the days, however, Daryl was as focused and serious as always. The only break in his character would be when they would go on a run, or hunt, he would always lock eyes with Darlene and tap his fingers twice over his heart. A silent reminder of what she meant to him, just in case something happened while they were gone.

xxxxxxxxx

Darlene sat staring at the fire, sharpening stone in one hand and the knife in the other. Her mind roaming back to the day she saw something that would once again change her life forever. The day she witnessed Daryl Dixon, the man she had called Dad, kill her mama.

xxxxxxxxx

They were in the next town going searching through some of the houses for things they could use. It was the three of them and Carl. They cautiously entered the two story house, as there were still not only walkers, but people hiding out as well. Most of the dead they had seen reciently had been dried out husks, or skeletons; just enough hope that could feel like there might be a chance. They used still used hand signals, just in case they weren't alone. Daryl motioned for Darlene and Carl to search upstairs while he searched the first floor. Before leaving she locked eyes with Daryl and he tapped his heart twice, and she did the same. Dawn-Ray signed that she would check the kitchen and garage. Before they went their own ways, Daryl and Dawn-Ray grasped left forearms and locked eyes briefly. The gesture held many meanings for them; stay safe, watch your ass, I love you.

As he began to search the bedrooms, Dawn-Ray went through the kitchen. She found salt, herbs and what was left of a couple of loaves of bread. When she opened one of the cabinets she found it was packed full of canned food. All out of date, and at least half of it had exploded. Shaking her head, silently cursing, she wondered why they couldn't have found this years ago when this find would have been a massive windfall for the group. Dawn-Ray opened another one and found some bags of beans, parts of which were still useable. Gathering everything up, she set it on the kitchen table for later.

She moved to the door that experience dictated that would lead to a garage. When the knob turned she opened it cautiously, pistol ready. To her left she noticed a set of shelves with blankets and clothes in those magic storage bags. On the floor was a busted bag of playground sand. She made note not to loose her footing in it. Dawn-Ray opened the door the rest of the way, and saw five bodies heaped up. They appeared to be dried husks and no threat, so she turned to inspect the shelves. A decision that would prove to be a serious mistake.

Vocal cords rotted away, she never heard them until the first bite. She spun around and her feet slipped in the sand, causing her to fall. Dawn-Ray fired three shots, stopping some of them. Once on the floor, two of the dead began ripping into her abdomen, the third biting into her right forearm. She screamed Daryl's name, but only half of it came out as a claw like hand tore through a lung. Blood spurting from her mouth, she thought she heard metal against metal. Turning her head, Dawn-Ray saw the walker that had been eating her arm pinned to the car with a crossbow bolt, and Daryl screaming for them to get off her.

He had just searched the bedrooms, finding only clothes long since dry rotted, and was just heading into the kitchen when her heard the gunshots and her scream. When Daryl stepped into the garage, he stepped into one of his worse nightmares. Two walkers dead at her feet with two more tearing her apart, with a third devouring her right arm. Quickly he shot the one on her arm, then shot the other two with his back up pistol.

"GET OFF HER!" He roared while he kicked the dead from her body. He set in the growing pool of blood beside her and put his hands on the sides her face; his own just inches away. "Dawn...don't try to talk." Daryl could feel her body jerk as she coughed more blood out, willing it not to be. He heard metal scrapping on the concrete as she tried to give him her pistol, dragging it with her damaged arm. Taking it from her, he whispered "I got it." Daryl knew it had to happen, and as he pulled the hammer back he placed his forehead against hers. "I love you, always have." He felt her wet left hand touch his cheek, already cold from blood loss, felt her blood seeping into his clothes, felt Dawn-Ray try to take a breath...heard the hoarse faint whisper, "Love...you." As he touched his lips to her blood drenched ones, Daryl placed the pistol to the side of her head and pulled the trigger, ending her torment and cementing his own.

Carl and Darlene ran into the hallway at the sound of gunfire, then ran down the stairs when they heard Dawn-Ray scream. They reached the garage door in time to see him kiss her and pull the trigger. The roar that left Daryl was a sound she had never heard before, and it temporarily left her frozen. When she was able, Darlene went to them. Daryl was hugging Dawn-Ray's body to his by this time.

"Mama?" She whispered as she knelt down beside them.

Daryl turned his head to look at her, wanting to say something, but not sure what. Carl turned his back to them, looking at the bags on the shelves to give them some privacy, and to find something to wrap her body in. Opening one of the sealed bags, he removed a twin sized, rose covered comforter. Carl carried it over to his friends and placed it on the floor.

"We need to take her home."

Daryl and Darlene looked at him, and Daryl nodded slightly. He saw the flowers on the comforter and touched the edge with a bloody hand. "She liked roses," he said softly.

Gently they placed her body onto it and wrapped her up, while Carl found three bungee cords and placed those around her to keep the body covered. When Daryl moved to pick her up, Carl placed his hand on the older man's.

"No need for you to do all the heavy lifting." Carl's words were soft as he scooped up Dawn-Ray's remains and carried them through the house and out side.

Darlene picked up the crossbow and put her free arm around her Dad's waist as he put his arm around her shoulders. Together, slowly they followed Carl out into the seemingly blinding light. They drove home in silence, a trip that seemed to never end. Carl backed the jeep up to what they had been using as a cemetery and parked. He ran to the building that was commonly referred to as the council house, knowing that would be the best place to start looking for his Dad and the others.

He entered the large living room, and placed his hands on his knees gasping for breath. The five members of the "inner circle" stared at him, with Michonne voicing what everyone was thinking.

"What happened?"

He saw his own blood stained clothes and looked at them with tears in his eyes, "It's Dawn-Ray."

As fast as the adults were, they were no match for a panicked eight year old boy who ran out and down the hill screaming for his mama. When Daryl heard his son's screams, he stopped digging and turned to grab him.

"Let me go! Let me go!" DJ struggled in his Dad's grasp, "I wanna see her!" Daryl knelt down so he was at eye level, a risky move considering how hard DJ was pounding his chest. "I wanna see her! I haveta say bye! DAD PLEEASE!"

"Alright. Let me fix her first." Daryl understood his son's want, having never gotten the chance to see his own mom one last time.

He released the boy and walked over to the covered body. Kneeling down beside her, Daryl removed the bungee around her neck and pulled the cover back. He was surprised how peaceful she looked, considering her last moments. Once he made sure the only thing their son could see was her face, he motioned for DJ to come over.

DJ set down beside her head and cried. He wanted to ask why she was so pale, but couldn't; looked at the blood caking her mouth and chin. Slowly he placed his small hands on her cheeks and whispered, "I love you Mama." He kissed her forehead and cried some more.

By this time the word had spread and the others in the community had come down, standing back a few feet to give her family some space; and to give the group time to begin processing their own grief. After a few minutes DJ stood and walked over to his dad and took his hand. Looking up at his dad's blood covered face, the boy nodded letting Daryl know he was finished.

As Daryl recovered her face, he heard multiple shovels breaking ground. He saw the whole group there, even the new comers helping. Her burial was short, with Rick and a couple of the older members saying a few words. When it was over Daryl set at the foot of her grave staring at the home-made cross, DJ and Darlene sat on either side of him. He didn't cry, just sat there staring. After a little bit Carol and Carl took DJ back, but Darlene stayed with him. Years later some would say it was to keep him from harming himself, and to a degree it was.

Together they set there for two days, with Carol or Carl bringing them water. On the third day Carol again brought them bottles of water.

"Make sure he drinks, don't want to loose him too." The statement earned Carol a go to hell look from him as Darlene took the bottles. She turned and went back up top knowing from the past that her friend was close to snapping.

He watched her go back up the hill to the community before he stood up, knocking the water out of Darlene's hand.

"I don't want it," he growled.

Darlene had known him all her life and understood what was coming, and braced herself for the impact.

"Dad, you need to drink."

"WHY YOU CALLING ME DAD?" Daryl stood inches from her as he raged. "YOU AIN'T MINE!" He turned his back and took two steps away before turning around and getting in her face again. "STUPID BITCH!"

"Because I love you." She knew he was letting the pain out the only way he knew how, but it didn't stop the sting of his words.

"WHY? CAN YOU TELL ME THAT?... HUH?" He took a half step away from her as he stared at the fresh grave.

"You did the only thing you coulda done."

"WHAT?" He was back in her face again. "YOU DON'T KNOW NUTHIN! YOU WASN'T THERE! YOU DIDN'T SEE!" Daryl shoved his index finger against her forehead. "YOU GONNA STAND THERE AND SAY YOU LOVE ME WHEN I'M THE ONE THAT PUT A BULLET IN HER HEAD?! HUH?"

Carol, Carl and Michonne stood on the small hill, looking down on the exchange. DJ walked up and took Carol's hand. She looked down at the boy who was chewing on the back of his right thumb. She considered having Carl take him away, but the boy was already showing Daryl's stubborn streak, and decided it probably wasn't worth the fight he would put up... Or the fact that it could send his dad off into a different sort of rage.

Daryl had been pacing back and forth just a few steps, then he stepped back into his daughter's face, pointing a finger at her.

"YOU AIN'T THE ONE THAT SPLIT US UP! YOU WEREN'T IN THE OTHER END OF THE HOUSE WHEN SHE WAS BIT!" He backed up and put both fists on his forehead, turned his back to her and drew a ragged breath. "Maybe if I had gone with her...maybe if I'd been faster..." Daryl felt Darlene wrap her arms tightly around him and put her head on his shoulder. "That's on me... nobody else...me." He hung his head and started to sob.

Darlene moved to face him, and they held each other and grieved. After a while Daryl felt small arms go around his waist, he turned his head and looked down at his son.

""Come home Dad, please."

Daryl looked down at him and placed a hand on his head. Slowly the three of them made their way up the hill and home. The first week had been the hardest on him, but the survivor mentality of the new world had engrained in all of them the ability to bury everything after a few days and resume life as if nothing happened..at least openly. It was six months before he could go into their room for any longer time than it would take to get clothes. When he was finally able Daryl walked into their room and looked at the messy bed, untouched since that last morning. Slowly he pulled the sheets off the bed, and folded them before placing them in the cedar chest she had found in one of the houses. He run his hand across them before closing the chest, remembering their last night.

 _ **They lay in bed, with her head on his chest, both feeling relaxed and tired.**_ _**The moonlight shinning through the top part of the window on their bodies. Dawn-Ray ran her hand across his stomach where the burgundy sheet rested.**_

 _ **"What ya thinkin' about?"**_

 _ **The vibrations from his voice rumbled through his chest and into her head. She smiled and moved so she could look into his eyes; he wrapped his arms around her.**_

.

 _ **"Just that this a good color on you. I like it."**_

 _ **"Well... the color I like best on me is you."**_

 _ **Daryl pulled her closer and kissed her neck, causing her to giggle.**_

Daryl smiled slightly at the knowledge that her last night had been filled with passion and laughter. Even the last touch they shared before seperateing, the look in her eyes had told him how much she cared, more than any words could have. Slowly he closed the lid on the chest, and ran his hands over the smooth, polished surface, glad he had asked her if she had wanted it.

 _ **After the group had cleaned out the community, they had been exploring one of the houses. He walked into the master bedroom and saw her sitting on the floor in-front of the chest. It had been made from purple heart cedar and must have cost the late owners a fortune.**_

 _ **"Find somethin'?" He asked as he set on the floor next to her.**_

 _ **"It reminds me of my Granny's. Papaw made it for her when the got married." Dawn-Ray ran her fingers across the smooth, perfectly joined wood. Daryl nodded slightly before opening the chest and removing the family treasures within. "What are you doing?"**_

 _ **"Want it don't cha?" He watched as she bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Well we ain't packin' it with all this shit in it."**_

 _ **Together they emptied it of everything except two quilts and carried it down the street to the house he had picked out. He had grumbled and teased her the whole way home, saying he didn't know if fucking her was worth all this work. She had laughed and told him to hush.**_

Daryl went over to the bed and grabbed her pillow, still in it's case, and put it on the couch with their quilt. He would sleep there another six months before sleeping in their bed again. There would never be another woman in his life, heart or bed.

During the next four years Daryl appeared as if nothing had happened. He was a valued member of the group's inner circle, helping to decide important matters, and who should be allowed to join the community. To the new-comers he seemed to be standoffish and cool, to Carl and Darlene's year old son he was a dotting grandpa. All that changed on the anniversary of her death. On that day for four years, he, Darlene and DJ would set on her grave and tell stories about her so DJ could have more memories of her. Also they set in long streches of silence and grieve. During the spring and early summer when the wild roses would be in bloom, Daryl would cut them for her and put them on her grave.

One day Darlene went to his house to remind him of the council meeting that evening.

"Yeah, just want to lay down for a bit." Daryl looked at her and smiled. "Sometimes you look so much like your mama, it's scary." He hugged her tightly before going into the bedroom and laying on the bed.

Darlene had been sitting in a chair, reading one of her mama's books for just a little while when she heard him say her name.

"Hey Shorty."

She looked up and saw Daryl standing there, looking just like he had that day when he had found them in the rain. His crossbow was across his back.

"Dad?"

"Need you to watch after your brother for me. Teach him everything he needs to know. Don't let him forget, aright?" He took a deep breath and grinned slightly. "I gotta go." This time when he tapped his heart it was with his whole hand. When she returned the gesture, he smiled peacefully and faded away.

"Dad?" Darlene got up and walked into his room. She saw him laying on his side asleep with his right hand under his head. "Dad?" She shook his shoulder and got no response. Quickly she rolled him onto his back and felt for a pulse and found none. "DAD!" She shook him by his shoulders, then touched his face. He was still warm, but starting to cool. "Oh Dad..."

She rolled Daryl back onto his side and straddled his hip. Pulled out her knife and saw to it that he wouldn't turn. Darlene then rolled him back onto his back, held him and cried.

Carl and the rest of high council saw her walk into the council house, not knowing at first what had happened.

"Daryl coming?" Rick asked, then saw the look in her eyes.

Darlene shook her head then sank to her knees, sobbing. Absently she heard the others screaming his name as they ran to his house. Carl set on the floor beside her and comforted her.

Daryl was buried beside Dawn-Ray that night, wrapped in the quilt they had slept under for so many years. Different members shared memories of him, Darlene and DJ told what a wonderful father he had been

 **xxxxxxxx**

"Thinking about Mama and Dad again?"

Darlene looked up from the sharpening stone and knife and noticed how much he looked like the pictures of Daryl when he was younger. DJ stood there is his dad's worn, black vest with angel wings on the back. At fourteen it was still too big for him, but not by much. The youth crossbow across his back, their mama's pistol and knife strapped on; the sight made her smile.

"Yeah." She heard Carl walk over to her and felt his hand on her shoulder.

"You alright for this?" He had been concerned that the past would haunt her today, but she had insisted that there would be no better way to remember them than a bon-fire and cook out tonight.

"I'm good." She smiled at him, glad they had met when they did. He still wore Rick's old hat, and already had his rifle across his back.

Darlene stood and wiped off her knife and placed it in the sheath on her belt. Her dad's pistol already in place. She picked up Daryl's crossbow, then hugged Carl before facing her brother.

"Come on little brother, we got deer to track."


End file.
